Wen Nuan politely refused, "Thank you for your kind offer, sir, but my master has already had breakfast."
Wen Nuan’s memory was excellent; yesterday, when she sought help, this Chen Gongzi gloated and told the people around him that if someone spent a night freezing outside, there would be one less competitor.
Clearly, this person’s character was very poor.
This time he’s pretending to be a good person, who knows what he’s plotting.
Chen He frowned, "Why is this little attendant student so ungrateful? I know Wen bro’s family situation. You must have spent quite a bit of silver staying at the inn, so regarding meals, he will surely economize. He’s injured; not eating well is not good."
The tone was thick with condescension.
"Chen Gongzi, I and my master appreciate your goodwill, but we don’t need it. You should give these steamed buns to someone who needs them more. Though our master’s family is poor, he at least has a place to shelter from the wind and rain and food to fill his stomach," Wen Nuan said with dignity.
Chen He flung his sleeve and snorted, "Then don’t come begging to me when the time comes."
He looked arrogant, as if he expected Wen Shu would surely come to him for help.
"Rest assured, Chen Gongzi, that will definitely not happen. Because our master’s meals are much better than yours!" Wen Nuan raised her hand holding the meat dishes, "See? This is what my master eats."
Chen He glanced, his face darkened. Fish and meat indeed looked much better than what he ate.
With a sullen face, Chen He returned to his room with the steamed buns.
Wen Nuan followed Meng Yao upstairs and apologized as soon as she entered the room.
"Madam, I didn’t mean to show off the things you bought, it’s just that Chen He is too..." Wen Nuan cautiously explained, "If he were sincere, I would be grateful. But he said yesterday that he hoped my brother wouldn’t make it to the city and would spend a night freezing outside, so there’d be one less competitor."
"Although yesterday he didn’t know the injured one was my brother, to harbor such malicious intent without knowing the person, it’s clear his character isn’t good."
"Even if we have to eat coarse grain meal, we wouldn’t accept his charity."
"Occasionally taking advantage of the situation is nothing," Meng Yao replied.
Wen Nuan could see that Chen He didn’t genuinely want to help Wen Shu, let alone Meng Yao?
He was merely trying to gain fame in front of others.
And, by the way, flaunt his superiority in front of Wen Shu, to later hold his good deeds over them.
"Madam, thank you. I will certainly strive to repay your kindness in the future," Wen Nuan expressed gratitude.
"I said, I will handle your three meals a day. Do you eat with us or take it back to your room?" Meng Yao asked again.
Wen Nuan paused, then was pleasantly surprised, "Thank you, Madam, I’ll take it back to my room. Madam, rest assured, I won’t delay any tasks. I’ll serve Madam and the young masters first, and then go back to eat."
This was giving her the opportunity to bring the food to her brother.
"Then come with me to the kitchen to cook," Meng Yao said.
Taking the ingredients for today’s breakfast, Meng Yao led Wen Nuan to the kitchen in the backyard.
Boiling porridge, baking pancakes, boiling eggs, and stir-frying cabbage.
Although porridge and cold salad were more appetizing, to avoid the slight chance of an upset stomach from raw vegetables, Meng Yao decided to eat cooked ones, be it cabbage or radish.
Wen Nuan worked swiftly, at least quicker than Li Chang’an.
With her helping, Meng Yao’s efficiency improved greatly.
Thick and fragrant rice porridge, radish shreds mixed into radish cakes.
Wen Nuan felt she was about to drool.
"Do you have bowls and chopsticks for eating?" Meng Yao asked.
Wen Nuan nodded, "Yes, we do."
"Then go and get them. Our bowls and chopsticks are a fixed number," Meng Yao said.
Wen Nuan responded and ran off, coming back with two slightly chipped bowls in her arms.
It looks like the family was really poor.
Meng Yao served a bowl of porridge and a bowl of stir-fried cabbage without a change in expression, topped the stir-fried cabbage with two pieces of radish cake, and stuffed an egg into Wen Nuan’s embrace, "This is your breakfast. It can’t be left here in the kitchen, so hurry back, don’t dawdle; you still need to help me bring these back to the room later."
Wen Nuan almost couldn’t hold back tears.
These things might only be eaten in her family during the Chinese New Year.
"Madam, thank you," Wen Nuan solemnly thanked Meng Yao.
"It’s just this much, there’s no more, I won’t care if you don’t eat enough." Meng Yao intentionally used a fierce tone.
"Mm." Wen Nuan carefully carried the food Meng Yao gave her back to her room.
Seeing her bring back so much food, Wen Shu couldn’t help but become anxious, "A Nuan, Madame has offered us help which is a great kindness. How can you..."
... bring back so much food.
Wen Nuan forced a smile, "Brother, can’t you see? Madame is helping us in a way that doesn’t hurt your dignity. This kindness, I will remember it in my heart, and my brother mustn’t forget either. Once you’re successful in the future, you must repay. Even if you’re not successful, we must repay to the best of our abilities."
"Of course," Wen Shu said solemnly.
"I still hope, my brother, to repay her once you’re successful in the future. This way, it can be a better repayment. So brother, just calmly accept Madame’s goodwill, heal well, and enter the exam in your best state. Only this way will you have the chance to give Madame a better repayment," Wen Nuan said, "Brother, you eat first, I still need to go help Madame bring breakfast back to the room."
Saying that, Wen Nuan jogged away.
Wen Shu looked at the food, his expression gradually becoming determined. Instead of eating immediately, he took out a book from the bookcase and began earnestly reading.
While Zhao Dahe and others were eating, Wen Nuan stood to the side, helping serve porridge and vegetables.
It made Zhao Dahe very uncomfortable.
Mainly, the little girl was so attentive, attentive to the point it seemed she wanted to feed them.
"Mother, we’ll still take a while to finish eating, how about you let her go eat?" Zhao Dahe suggested.
Meng Yao refused, "I hired her with medicine oil and three meals a day, so of course, everything must be used to its fullest."
Wen Nuan’s eyes curved into smiles, "Sir, I’m not hungry yet. After you finish eating, I’ll clean up the bowls and chopsticks, and then go eat."
Li Chang’an said nothing, knowing his aunt deliberately said that to lessen the psychological pressure on the young girl.
Zhao Dahe began quickly shoveling food into his mouth, but Meng Yao tapped him with her chopsticks, "What? You can’t even eat away from home? How many times have I told you, chew carefully, chew carefully. You’re gobbling it up, afraid someone will steal your food?"
Zhao Dahe was so aggrieved; he just wanted to let the young girl quickly finish her chores and go eat.
In the freezing weather, once they finish eating, wouldn’t her food be cold?
Cold meals, eating them would surely cause stomach pain, right?
Facing Wen Nuan, Zhao Dahe couldn’t ask Meng Yao on purpose why she was treating the young girl this way, so he could only begrudgingly chew every mouthful fifteen times.
During this time, he glared angrily at Li Chang’an and Qin Zheng several times. Why were these two so oblivious?